Bermuda Escape Cruises - insights, information, and more just on Bermuda

[aussie1944]

What is everyone's interpretation of the " having the covid pcr test 3 days before arrival day",  does that mean having the test on Friday as Day 0, Saturday Day 1, Sunday Day 2, and Monday Day 3.  We fly to Bermuda on Tuesday, July 20th.  Just curious what your thoughts are, or if July 20th is considered Day 3 or if Monday is considered Day 3.  Just asking!!

We are Ralph & Arlene from Dothan, Alabama.

  

[bafinegan]

1 minute ago, aussie1944 said:

What is everyone's interpretation of the " having the covid pcr test 3 days before arrival day",  does that mean having the test on Friday as Day 0, Saturday Day 1, Sunday Day 2, and Monday Day 3.  We fly to Bermuda on Tuesday, July 20th.  Just curious what your thoughts are, or if July 20th is considered Day 3 or if Monday is considered Day 3.  Just asking!!

We are Ralph & Arlene from Dothan, Alabama.

  

Hi Ya'll.  Hubbs and I are from Columbus Ga!  There is a discussion ( either here or on the roll call) If it 3 days ro 72 hours.  But on the Bermuda Covid website, it states after June 6 ( funny that is right before these cruises start😒)It does state the day of the test 0.  SO if you test on Sat (day 0) Sunday would be day 1, Monday would be day 2, putting Tuesday as day 3- within the time frame.  If they use 72 hours, you would have to get the test (for ex our flight arrives in Bermuda at 2:28 pm ) after 2:38 on Sat to stay within the 72 hour time frame.

 

Viking is working on clarification and hopefully will let all know soon.

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

8 hours ago, amyr said:

This is the one thing in 👋all this👋 that has us concerned.  My sister, whom I'm traveling with, is still employed, and she's very very nervous about getting stuck somewhere.  She will not be able to get away with being gone from work for a potential 21 days.

Doesn’t sound like your sister is a good candidate for cruising this early in the return of cruising.  If being quarantined for 14 days could get her fired, she should cancel.  She likely won’t enjoy the cruise with that stress looming over her.  If she is your cabin-mate, then you may need to pull the plug on the trip so that she won’t feel pressure to not pull out and ruin your trip.  Perhaps you can get a retired friend to take her place.

[amyr]

5 minutes ago, Ragnar Danneskjold said:

Doesn’t sound like your sister is a good candidate for cruising this early in the return of cruising.  If being quarantined for 14 days could get her fired, she should cancel.  She likely won’t enjoy the cruise with that stress looming over her.  If she is your cabin-mate, then you may need to pull the plug on the trip so that she won’t feel pressure to not pull out and ruin your trip.  Perhaps you can get a retired friend to take her place.

We're prepared to hit the eject button at 14 days if we don't have clarification and happily apply our money to another Viking itinerary we've had our eye on for a while.  We'll cancel without regret if we can't get a straight answer about what Bermuda will do with us if we have a positive case on board.  

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

4 hours ago, What was that? said:

RD, please share your needle-threading scenario. As of today with the timing rules and limited test options, I am unable to see any successful path forward for DW and myself, at least from Reno.

 

However, if we do make it aboard and there is a "problem", I like your option!

My procedure depends on the requirement being 3 days, not 72 hours.  We are arriving Bermuda on a Saturday.  Here is my plan:

 

Day 0 (Wed) - Take same-day full-on PCR test at 9am.  Results promised by 8pm.  After getting results, upload test results, fill out on-line form, and submit Travel Authorization request.  And hope the credit card company does not stop the transaction at some point because they suspect fraud...  This will get the request to Bermuda before their 9am-8pm Bermuda-time vetting window on Day 1 (Thurs).

 

Day 1 (Thurs) - Bite fingernails and drink to excess until we receive the Travel Authorization.  Bermuda promises <24 hours turn-around.   So expect to receive the authorization any time up to 8pm PDT.  Could be very drunk by then...

 

Day 2 (Fri) - Catch flight to Miami from California.  Stay overnight at a hotel near the airport.  Eat only packaged food to avoid restaurants...  Fret about covid on the pillows, and bedbugs....

 

Day 3 (Sat) - Catch morning flight to Bermuda.  Since in first class, flog the free booze to calm nerves about the test at BDA...

 

 

Jeez-Louise, with all the other tests Viking will administer that we have to pass, will we ever be sober???

 

[What was that?]

2 minutes ago, Ragnar Danneskjold said:

Jeez-Louise, with all the other tests Viking will administer that we have to pass, will we ever be sober???

One would hope not - with the current situation, we'd have to drunk or crazy (and escaped) to travel.

It sounds like an optimistic success-oriented plan. Good luck!

[CCWineLover]

Well thought out.  It strikes me though, that there are 6 Bermuda cruises planned and say roughly 450-500 passengers each.  Wanna bet that a high percentage either can't follow this Bermuda requirement, have issues completing it successfully, or simply don't understand it well enough to even figure it all out?    I figure at least 50 % of Viking's customers to Bermuda will miss the boat so to speak.

 

But I do think that Viking and the Bermuda government will come to some sort of agreement or plan that is different than today.  Else - they might as well give up these cruises.

[amyr]

5 minutes ago, CCWineLover said:

Well thought out.  It strikes me though, that there are 6 Bermuda cruises planned and say roughly 450-500 passengers each.  Wanna bet that a high percentage either can't follow this Bermuda requirement, have issues completing it successfully, or simply don't understand it well enough to even figure it all out?    I figure at least 50 % of Viking's customers to Bermuda will miss the boat so to speak.

 

But I do think that Viking and the Bermuda government will come to some sort of agreement or plan that is different than today.  Else - they might as well give up these cruises.

Agreed on all counts.  I'm grateful to this forum where we can all hash this out.  I know it probably seems that we're over-thinking it sometimes, but it's a good thing that we can talk about it and make sure we get it right.

 

I think I mentioned upthread that I checked the Royal Caribbean roll calls, and they're not talking about the testing at all.  It's all about sharing cabs to the ship, taking a ferry and the public bus, or buying the transfer.  

 

And we all have our trip-wire for cancelling.  For some it will be the testing, for my sister and me it will be that Bermuda will have to lift quarantine requirements for the vaccinated if we get a case on board, and also probably the US eliminating the negative test for reentry by the vaccinated.  If we somehow test positive before flying home and can't get in?  That's a no-go for us.

[Jim Avery]

16 minutes ago, What was that? said:

One would hope not - with the current situation, we'd have to drunk or crazy (and escaped) to travel.

It sounds like an optimistic success-oriented plan. Good luck!

Yes, Ragnar's plan seems well laid out.  What could possibly go wrong???

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

If ol’ Ragnar can figure it out, anyone can.  Ol’ Ragnar’s DW always reminding him that he’s not very bright 😞

 

A couple of notes:

 

- The same day test will cost $275, plus the cost of an office visit (supposedly billed to insurance).  Per person.

 

- At Bermuda we will stay on the hotel grounds (cheaper hanging out in their tool shed than renting a room).  Other guests will gladly socially-distance from us.  Hope the barmen are made of sterner stuff.  So, should have little potential covid exposure before boarding test.

 

- Our cabin will supposedly be ready at 11am, so will get to the ship quite early to do their covid testing stuff.  After they let us on, cannonballs in the pool!

 

 

[What was that?]

3 minutes ago, CCWineLover said:

But I do think that Viking and the Bermuda government will come to some sort of agreement or plan that is different than today.  Else - they might as well give up these cruises.

I agree. Viking and Bermuda made agreements that would permit the cruises to operate under the previous program, and since they won't work for the that new program, they will have to make new agreements. Negotiations require compromise, so let's stand back (I almost said "and relax") and see how they can resolve this. I believe the best negotiators are the ones whose "ox is being gored", and both Bermuda and Viking are in that category.

Putting on my Tor Hagen hat, I would go in with the proposition that Viking cruise passengers arriving on boarding day would be whisked to the ship and tested/isolated until a negative result is returned. Tor has said they have the testing capacity; let's let him use it.

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

6 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

Yes, Ragnar's plan seems well laid out.  What could possibly go wrong???

Party-pooper.

[What was that?]

3 minutes ago, Ragnar Danneskjold said:

Party-pooper.

Right! If Jim's going to be that way, he'll have to buy the drinks - even if we have to send him the bill!

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

Jim has a vested interest in this going smoothly, he is signed up fir the Viking world cruise.

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

12 minutes ago, What was that? said:

I would go in with the proposition that Viking cruise passengers arriving on boarding day would be whisked to the ship and tested/isolated until a negative result is returned. Tor has said they have the testing capacity; let's let him use it.

Sadly, that won’t help those of us arriving before embarkation day...

[What was that?]

1 minute ago, Ragnar Danneskjold said:

Sadly, that won’t help those of us arriving before embarkation day...

Yeah. I wrote it that way on purpose, not to ignore your situation, but to establish a starting point that was well-defined.

No offense intended.

[gacruzr]

17 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

Yes, Ragnar's plan seems well laid out.  What could possibly go wrong???

Go wrong...go wrong....go wrong.....

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

1 minute ago, What was that? said:

Yeah. I wrote it that way on purpose, not to ignore your situation, but to establish a starting point that was well-defined.

No offense intended.

None taken.

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

Did anyone else notice that Viking increased some of the cabin prices on these cruises since yesterday?  Hell, they should be paying us early cruisers to be the guinea pigs that we are!

 

I’ve suddenly acquired a craving for lettuce.

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

Speaking of boarding, I wonder if they will be issuing boarding appointment times, to minimize queuing and limit the rate of tests being taken and processed?

 

 

Edited May 1, 2021 by Ragnar Danneskjold

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

I hope they do something special for us guinea pigs on the first cruise.  The scene from “The Fifth Element” where they board the orbiting cruise-liner comes to mind 🙂

 

I just hope the cruise doesn’t end the same way...

 

 

PS - I think The Fifth Element was one of the best movies of all time!

 

 

Edited May 1, 2021 by Ragnar Danneskjold

[Jim Avery]

14 minutes ago, Ragnar Danneskjold said:

Speaking of boarding, I wonder if they will be issuing boarding appointment times, to minimize queuing and limit the rate of tests being taken and processed?

 

 

You can't even sneak up the mooring lines, they install rat guards.....😱

[B_A_H]

Some things to consider...

• MSC has been sailing since last year.  There has to have been a handful of positive cases found in all those months.  The ship hasn't quarantined. 
   
• People going to Mexican resorts have tested positive.  They individually have had to quarantine.  Their traveling partners who have tested negative have been allowed to carry on normally or travel home with a negative test.  The person quarantining can leave after testing negative and it's been averaging 10 days.  No Mexican resort has been quarantined. 

From Bermuda...

 

COVID-19 POSITIVE TEST RESULT

If a traveller becomes COVID-19 positive, is a close contact of a positive person, is symptomatic, or if a traveller is clinically diagnosed at any point, they will be subject to public health (COVID-19) regulations and will be quarantined or isolated, as appropriate, at their accommodation for up to 14 days. Each property will provide guidance on its parameters for handling positive cases, including, in many instances, offering a quarantine room at the same property at no additional cost for rate-paying guests.

 

Anyone who becomes COVID-19 positive, or whom health authorities believe could be positive, will be fitted with an Aqua electronic bracelet to assist with isolation/quarantine.

 

My read of their statement is that a COVID positive or likely (companion) person will be subject to quarantine.  It doesn't imply an entire resort will be quarantined.  

 

As for how this applies to us I could see someone removed from the ship at the first port should they test positive and have to isolate at a facility designated by Bermuda.  From the government statement traveling companions who test negative might be quarantined as well as a precaution. 

 

I don't read in to the statement that it's all or nothing.  Meaning 500 of us have to quarantine because 1 of us tests positive.  Especially in our case since we're all vaccinated. Add to that Viking has the most most rigorous COVID protocols in the industry.  

 

I think we'll be fine and if a COVID case is detected I don't think it'll be game over.  But I've tended to view what's been shared more optimistically than some. 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

The 3 day testing requirement seems to have moved back to 5 days.  The update to 3 days seems to have disappeared.  Can someone else look and verify?

[JM0115]

2 minutes ago, Ragnar Danneskjold said:

The 3 day testing requirement seems to have moved back to 5 days.  The update to 3 days seems to have disappeared.  Can someone else look and verify?

on the gotobermuda site still says 3 days: 

 

• Effective June 6, 2021: All travellers aged 10 and up must take a PCR COVID-19 test and obtain a negative result no more than three days before arrival in Bermuda. The day of testing is day 0. Test results must be entered as part of the online travel authorization process and be presented upon arrival in Bermuda. Visitors without a pre-departure test will not be able to obtain Travel Authorisation and enter Bermuda. Children aged 10-17 must receive parental consent to be tested. If consent is denied, the young traveller must quarantine for 14 days on arrival.